TUARAN: Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin announced that the cooperation between Perikatan Nasional (PN), Barisan Nasional (BN) and Parti Bersatu Sabah (Sabah) in the state will be known as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.
Speaking during his visit to Tuaran this morning, the prime minister said the name would be used from Sept 26 onwards should they succeed in forming the state government.
Muhyiddin is in the state at the moment as candidates submit their nomination papers to the Election Commission (EC) for the state election set to take place two weeks from today.
Elaborating, he said the coalition would work as a team in developing Sabah.
"Yesterday, we sat with the parties that have agreed to fight for the people of Sabah. I would like to announce that we have decided to call the coalition that will work together with the federal as Gabungan Rakyat Sabah.
"We are one in working together to form a state government after Sept 26. For starters, those in this coalition will be PN, BN and PBS," he said at the Parti Pribumi Bersatu Malaysia (Bersatu) headquarters, here, today.
Also present were Sabah Bersatu chief Datuk Hajiji Noor and Tuaran Umno chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rahman Dahlan.
Muhyiddin said each party in the coalition will set aside their differences or old feelings that could jeopardise the work to be carried out in moving forward.
"We have to help each other out, we must work with Umno, PBS, Parti Maju Sabah (SAPP), Parti Solidariti Tanah Airku (Star), Parti Bersatu Rakyat Sabah (PBRS) and MCA.
"This means we are all together in this coalition because we can't form a government if only PN wins. Only the cooperation between all the parties in Gabungan Rakyat Sabah can form a strong state government in Sabah.
"The purpose of this is to further develop Sabah. If Sabah is being led by this coalition, surely it will be greater compared to Parti Warisan Sabah (Warisan)," Muhyiddin said.
He remarked that no other coalition could challenged Gabungan Rakyat Sabah as long as PN helmed the federal government.
This is why, he said, Sabah should be led by the same government.
"This is becuase we still have more to do. Yes there has been development but it is not enough and we need to make it better," he said.